BMW's M division has been responsible for some pretty wild creations over the years, but this one might just take the cake. Using company's Facebook page, BMW M has revealed to the world the sports car that never was - a V12-powered version of the Z3 roadster.
BMW M isn't revealing any details about the V12-powered Z3, but the performance division does refer to the car as a prototype, indicating it might have been considered for production at one time. However, given the Z3's short wheelbase and the added heft of the 12-cylinder engine, the idea was probably nixed shortly after the car's first test drive.
No official word on what V12 engine sits between the fenders of the Z3 but, given the era of the Z3, it is likely BMW's M73. Used in BMW's upper-end models, the 5.4L V12 developed 326 horsepower and 361 lb-ft of torque, representing a major improvement over the Z3's original 138 horsepower four-cylinder engine.
The days of the 12-cylinder engine appear to be numbered, but we wouldn't mind seeing a modern incarnation of the V12-powered Z3 in the form of a
Z4 stuffed with BMW's latest twin-turbocharged V8.
